The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality has been experiencing water challenges for
several years. As part of one of nine initiatives implemented by the municipality, which comprises
Gqeberha and Kariega (previously known as Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage respectively), a 460,000
litre bulk water storage tank from SBS® Tanks was installed.
“Lack of rain in the catchment areas has meant that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan
Municipality has had to come up with solutions to improve the sustainability of the water supply,
and keep water flowing to businesses and residents,” said Mava Gwagwa, Director at SBS Tanks.
“One of the initiatives was to develop a wellfield along the western outskirts of Gqeberha, which
included a bulk water storage tank from SBS Tanks.”
In the Bushy Park area of Gqeberha several boreholes were sited, drilled, tested and equipped with
pumps. The water from these boreholes feeds collectively into a single 460,000 litre SBS Tank. The
tank, along with a booster pump station, is located next to the main bulk supply lines serving the
metro from the west. Potable water from the water storage tank is then pumped into the main
supply, supplementing the water supply to the Metro.
“The site posed many challenges. These included difficult sand road access to site, large and
specialised pipework and nozzle requirements,” Gwagwa said. “This is exactly why SBS Tanks has an
inhouse engineering team that can work with consulting engineers, municipalities and other
professionals to ensure a successful project outcome.”
The modular and lightweight panel construction of water storage tanks from SBS make it possible to
access remote sites with terrain challenges, such as the site at Bushy Park. By collaborating with the
main contractor and consulting engineer on this project, SBS Tanks was able successfully supply and
install a sustainable and practical storage solution for the project and the overall
water supply scheme.
Looking for a partner you can trust, for a quick, easy and hassle-free water storage tank installation?
Contact SBS Tanks today.
© SBS Holdings 2026
